Precocious Puberty and Chemical Pollution

Children under the age of 8 and 9 years old are going through puberty, and some theories suggest it's because of low-level pollution that mimics the normal action of hormones in the body.

There are other theories to explain "precocious puberty," as the condition is called, including rising obesity rates. But the condition is present in about 1 in 5,000 to 1 in 10,000 children, according to the Chicago Sun Times.

Increasingly, scientists are finding that common chemicals mimic estrogen or other hormones. So-called endocrine disruptors are being studied, with concerns being raised about certain plastics, pesticides and other chemicals. These compounds are similar enough to the body's chemical messenging system that they can alter, speed up or slow down the signals hormones are meant to convey.

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